I have a 99 Honda TRX 450 ES and I can't figure out for the life of me why the bike has been killing batteries. It started this winter when I was plowing and the electric shifter stopped working and I had to manually shift it into gear, than it would shift only some times. This being an issue I was told to replace the angle shift sensor. I had replaced that and I have spark. I am at a lost and don't want to start playing the guessing game because that usually ends up bad. Anyone have any idea what I should do?

 

For sure, you need to charge the battery until you sort out the problem. Next you need to test the stator for charging and the Voltage regulator for correct operation. Not a Honda guy, so I'm as useful as **** on a bull, haha 1 thing, I noticed with my Arctic Cat gas models, plowing snow with the winch running all the time, headlights on, and hand warmers cranked, after about 2 hours, my headlights would flicker (low voltage). Charging system couldn't keep up. Tis winter I bought an AC 700 Diesel that has an alternator, like your car! What a radical concept. Never run down the battery now. So, just realize, the little stator on your Honda, may not be able to keep up, if you have a lot of drain. Why Honda chose electric shifting baffles me. I'd check for a draw there.

 

Do some research in the Honda area, I have read some stuff about this issue and some possible fixes. As much as Honda's quality is so high, they missed it big time with this electric shift trans. I am not a Honda person either however I do read a lot about various machines just in case someone elses fix could be adapted to your own machine and I recall this subject not long ago.

 

So I went out this morning and took my smart meter to see what the reading I would get for the connector to the regulator and I got nothing. 0.0000 right across for the yellow wires. The voltage regulator itself I had got 1.521 mili ohms. When I put gas directly in with the spark plug it will run until the gas empties out of the spark plug hole. I am just scratching my head and want to exhaust all options before I haul it over an hour to the shop to get fixed. I had charged the battery as well and it's up 13.51 volts, but dies after a few tries of trying to start the bike.

 

So I had left it for the afternoon and spent time not stressing about it, just went outside and the the battery is now -12.75 volt with the starter solenoid being 12.75 volts, I will try and work with it until next weekend until I cut my losses.

 

You have two easy options here, take the battery to a good battery shop and have a load test done on it, or you could remove the battery from your machine, charge it, then check it after 12 hours , then again after 24 hours.
If the voltage drop is the same as when it is installed in your machine then you have a bad battery but if the voltage drop is less than when it is in your machine then you have a voltage drain from your machine and more searching is needed but you really need to check the battery first!

 

Hi Northern Canadian, You've done your homework. You just didn't take the last step.
The last step being performing your own load test.
Recharge the battery to 13.5 volts. Then after removing the charger & placing your leads from the multi-tester,turn your lights on hi beam & time your battery to see if it goes below 9.6 volt in 45 seconds. if it goes below 9.6 volts, replace it.
Pyro

 

thanks Pyro so I definitely will need a new battery because as soon as the charger comes off with high beams on I'm at 7.6 and I have tried 3 times now to recharge the battery and have got 12.75 after it being on a charger for 48 hours? Something I don't think I will ever do again as I was told only charge a battery for maximum 24 hours.

 

Hi NC, Don't know what type of charger you are using, but trickle charging always works best. Less chance of warping plates or worse, blowing a battery up in your face.
Load testing batteries in a vehicle can be done the same way. Some shop chargers charge way too high & fast causing the caps to be blown 20' in the air.
Feel free to contact again if needed.